


Kingdom Fall

by SkyWolfSong



Category: Minecraft (Video Game)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-10
Updated: 2020-11-10
Packaged: 2021-03-08 23:21:41
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,348
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27494896
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SkyWolfSong/pseuds/SkyWolfSong
Summary: "One chance." He raised his chin, aware of crimson blood running down his diamond blade, dripping and sizzling on the golden sand. "One chance to surrender." He projected his voice so the audience could hear. They were calmer now, knowing the danger was over and all that remained was the determination of who the rightful king was.
Comments: 3
Kudos: 46





	Kingdom Fall

**Author's Note:**

> I still don’t know how to tag
> 
> Inspired by Wings of Fire
> 
> Cross-posted on Wattpad

"I know your tricks," Skeppy snapped. He shoved the knife into the paneling of the wooden box and tore the lid away. With one hand, he snatched up the writhing mass of snake and held it by the neck, in a way where it was unable to bite its fangs through the thick leather of his gloves. "You thought this would kill me. So it will be very poetic when it kills you instead."

If he expected to see fear in Techno's eyes, he was mistaken. Instead, the elder prince smiled, cold and twisted.

"I know," he said. "Didn't I tell you? I got you two."

Skeppy's eyes widened as he glanced down at the open box. Sure enough, there was another bright red rope. Skeppy stepped backwards, nearly stumbling over his feet, as the second snake shot forwards, biting its shiny fangs into the thin fabric of the clothes covering his ankle.

As the spectators realised exactly how deadly - and how swift - the vipers were, they panicked, tripping over themselves to climb the walls of the fortress to safety.

Skeppy had fallen to the ground, screaming in agony and fury. He was shouting unintelligible words but they were clearly aimed at Techno and didn't exactly seem to be of brotherly affection.

Speaking of brothers, TapL stood a metre away from Techno, his own knife drawn. He was regarding the scene and tracking the movements of the vipers across the sand with a cold expression.

Meanwhile, Techno stood there, a psychotic grin etched on his face as he soaked in how devastating this plan was.

For the spectators at least. For him, it was nothing but glorious.

The maximum a person ever lived after being bitten by a dragonbite viper was sixty-three seconds. The venom was fast - the moment it entered the bloodstream, it was over. 100% mortality rate; the deadliest animal in Pyrrhia.

Skeppy lasted only thirty-one seconds.

The moment his body, clad with blue-tinted gear, stopped moving, Techno stalked forward with an unsheathed sword and easily sliced the heads of the vipers off. Then he turned to TapL, who still remained immobile.

"One chance." He raised his chin, aware of crimson blood running down his diamond blade, dripping and sizzling on the golden sand. "One chance to surrender." He projected his voice so the audience could hear. They were calmer now, knowing the danger was over and all that remained was the determination of who the rightful king was.

A smile appeared on TapL's face.

"Sure about that?" he queried. "I mean, I should be asking you that."

Techno laughed, low and mirthless. "Very well; remain delusional until your grave."

The ground rumbled.

TapL took a step back. "Why don't we leave this to luck?" he suggested, nodding at the sky.

Techno looked up. He could see the glow of the two full moons and the faint outline of the claw scratch that was the third moon. But there was also the meteor, the main source of light that night.

It caused the air to be warmer, the desert to be lighter -

And the ground to shake.

Techno dropped his gaze and stared straight at his little brother.

"Scared?"

TapL unsheathed his sword.

"Never."

Techno raised his own.

"Prepare to lose," he said with his signature cold smile and lunged.

TapL rose his iron sword and blocked, before sidestepping, swing the blade at Techno's side. But Techno also sidestepped and the two began to circle each other. They darted in - once, twice - each trying to land a blow. But the thing about spending your childhood training together - you learned awfully well how your opponent fights.

The style was the same - the feints, the lunges, the stabs - so the battle really came down to whose blade was sharpest and who was more physically stronger. In a normal duel, the two may have been evenly matched.

But the ground shook too much, the sky was too golden.

Every so often Techno would look at the sky and see the meteor (did it look closer?) and be reminded this battle could not last forever.

Sooner or later, blood will be spilled.

The thought drove him to jerk backwards suddenly, stabbing his sword to the right in a feint before arcing his blade upwards to slam against TapL's iron helmet.

He barely blocked in time.

The fight continued. Other than footsteps in the sand and the clash of metal, there was quiet. The spectators, lining the walls of the courtyard, were waiting in hushed silence, apprehensive for the outcome. They all had their favourite prince, the one they had been fighting the war for, for the past eighteen years.

It had been dragged on for too long, though, and most may admit they would be relieved for any king to be announced, just to end the blood baths of the battlefields.

But there would still be more blood to come.

TapL initiated the close-quarter clash. He darted in front of Techno and with two well-aimed (and well-timed) blows sent the other prince stumbling backwards.

Techno's lip curled in anger and he swung his blade forward. Fury fueled the movement and his aim was clumsy. He missed and TapL took the opportunity to stab forwards. Techno managed to dodge but the encounter of metal against the side of his chest plate still sent a tremor up his spine. Quickly, he brought his sword in front of him and held it there as TapL rained blow after blow.

"Are you going to fight," TapL grunted, swinging his sword back and further at lightning speed, "until one of our swords breaks?"

Techno smiled. "No."

He slashed at TapL's sword and kicked his feet out from under him.

The ground rumbled again.

TapL had no chance to scramble back upright until Techno's boot was placed against his chest, pinning him in place.

"I'd ask you if you had anything else to say," he said as TapL panted and glared, "but that was more of Skeppy's thing."

TapL tried to push Techno's boot away and reach for the sword lying where it had fallen, a few inches from his hand. Techno responded by putting more weight against TapL's chest plate, grinning as he saw TapL screw up his eyes against the pressure on his ribs.

"So," Techno said, that cruel and cold smile of his playing at his lips, "I'm just going to give you one chance. One chance to say something."

He crouched down, boot still on TapL's chest, raising his sword against his throat. TapL's eyes flickered open. They were narrowed in anger yet bright with pain.

Techno was in pain, too; TapL was not a weak opponent by any means and there was quite a high amount of blood spilled on the sand.

But he pushed it to the back of his mind. Injuries could be treated later. Right now, there was an opponent entirely at his mercy.

Not that he had any.

"Say it," he hissed. He shoved the sharp blade deeper into TapL's skin and was rewarded with a gasp of pain.

"Not exactly a fair fight," TapL choked out, closing his eyes once more. "Just kill me." He spat, saliva bubbling against his lips. "I won't say it."

Techno was so close to his goal. Press the blade just a little deeper and it would be over. He could claim the crown that had been resting on throne in the fortress for the past eighteen years. It had been left to gather dust since Skeppy first declared war on his brothers.

Now, Skeppy was dead. TapL would be soon but Techno wanted to hear those words, in the final chance he got before he killed the last member of his family.

His eyes were wide, maybe, filled with adrenaline and insanity.

"Say it," he whispered.

TapL opened his eyes again. He worked his jaw for a moment before giving a mirthless chuckle, or as near as he could manage, with the blade pressed so tight against his throat. Techno alleviated the pressure, just a bit.

"Long live the king."


End file.
